Texas assistant Darrin Horn to become head coach of...

1of8Texas Longhorns head coach Shaka Smart talks with assistant coach Darrin Horn during the second half of the NCAA basketball game between Northwestern and Texas on Nov. 21, 2016, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn,NY.Photo: Icon Sportswire/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

2of8Texas coach Shaka Smart holds up the "Hook 'em Horns" sign following Texas' 68-55 win over Colorado in an NCAA college basketball game in the quarterfinals of the NIT on Wednesday, March 27, 2019, in Austin, Texas. (Nick Wagner/Austin American-Statesman via AP)Photo: Nick Wagner/Associated Press

3of8Texas coach Shaka Smart knows the pressure will be on this fall to rise above the NIT.Photo: Brad Tollefson / Associated Press

6of8NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 04: Kerwin Roach II #12 of the Texas Longhorns cuts the net after the Texas Longhorns win 81-66 over the Lipscomb Bisons during the NIT Championship game at Madison Square Garden on April 04, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)Photo: Sarah Stier/Getty Images

7of8Texas guard Kerwin Roach II holds up the outstanding player award after Texas defeated Lipscomb 81-66 in an NCAA college basketball game for the NIT championship Thursday, April 4, 2019, at Madison Square Garden in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)Photo: Mary Altaffer/Associated Press

8of8NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 04: The Texas Longhorns react after defeating the Lipscomb Bisons 81-66 during the NIT Championship game at Madison Square Garden on April 04, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)Photo: Sarah Stier/Getty Images

AUSTIN — The man who helped mold and develop Jarrett Allen and Mo Bamba and Jaxson Hayes is moving up in the world.

Texas assistant Darrin Horn has accepted an offer to become the next head coach of Northern Kentucky, the school announced Tuesday night.

Northern Kentucky went a combined 72-30 and made two NCAA tournament appearances over the past three seasons under John Brannen, who left to become to new coach of Cincinnati.

"It's a thrill for me to be named the head coach at Northern Kentucky," Horn said in a statement issued by the school. "It was a job I've had my eye on for a while now. There is great momentum and energy surrounding both the basketball program and University. Norse Basketball is a winning program with players who know what it takes to win. ... My family and I can't wait to join the Norse family and Northern Kentucky community."

Horn, 46, amassed a career record of 282-171 as the head coach at South Carolina (2008-12) and Western Kentucky (2003-08) and served four seasons on Longhorns coach Shaka Smart's staff. He is native of Glasgow, Ky. and played college ball at Western Kentucky.

Horn worked primarily with UT’s bigs, from Cameron Ridley to Prince Ibeh to first-round picks Allen (22nd overall in 2017) and Bamba (fifth overall in 2018).

"I'm very excited for Darrin and his family about this terrific opportunity," Smart said in a statement. "Over the past four years, he's been a valuable asset to our program and impacted our team and staff in many ways. We are extremely grateful for all that Darrin has done at UT and will follow his success at Northern Kentucky with great excitement."

Horn played a vital role in the recruiting and eventual signing of Austin Westlake four-star center Will Baker, the No. 8 center in the most recent recruiting cycle, per the 247Sports composite.

The loss of Baker leaves Smart with just two coaching assistants, Neill Berry and Jai Lucas. A search will now begin to fill Horn's vacated position.